Friday, August 30, 2013

2013
release from the veteran Jazz outfit. Joined by superstar guitarist Rhon
Lawrence and up and coming saxophonist Tony Watson Jr., the group has composed
10 brilliant originals that run the gamut from "in the pocket"
R&B to the kind of sensuous Smooth Jazz jams that have made them legends.
Lead producer and founding member James Lloyd, who has been a go to hit maker
and accompanist for such artists as Mary J. Blige, BB King, Wayman Tisdale and
others, is at the top of his game here with such highlights as the funky
"Steppers 'D' Light" and the romantic ballad "Misty Eyed".
Additionally, co-founder Curtis Harmon's composition, the title track "In
the Moment", is a joyful celebration of Pieces of a Dream's 20th album and
their brilliant career.

BILLY SHIELDS - CRYSTAL BLUE

Although not a new release (it's from 2006), I thought I would
bring this one to the forefront since it contains one of my all-time favorite
songs – Crystal Blue Persuasion. Originally performed by 60s group Tommy James
and the Shondells, Shields’ version is smooth., cool, and simply beautiful! It’s got a feel-good vibe and stellar
production that I am sure you will enjoy as well. Iconic producer Preston Glass has
worked with a plethora of artists including Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie,
Aretha Franklin, Earth Wind & Fire, Kenny G, George Benson, and more. The album
also includes two timeless cuts from the catalogs of Van Morrison (Have I Told
You Lately) and Sade (Cherry Pie). On "Have I Told You Lately,"
Shields delivers the right chops to bring out the beauty of the highly
recognizable tune and on "Cherry Pie," he deliver with a sweet, sexy
excursion of R&B grooves.

LIN ROUNDTREE - SERENDIPITOUS

The
latest artist to emerge from the 'New' Detroit music scene, soul trumpeter Lin
Rountree has spent his years laying a serious foundation on the local scene,
honing his skills and chops for the moment that he had his opportunity to take
his music to a higher level and spread it to the masses. With 'Serendipitous'
his major label CutMore Records debut, Lin works now on building his musical
house with this base firmly established and does so with spectacular result. Rountree
is no stranger to the groove and hits high marks for hip factor as he lays them
down fat and funky, giving him canvas to paint his many colors, fusing funk,
soul, ambience, pop and jazz into a captivating musical portrait.. Consumers
seeking to find the Zone, will find it in plenty with this assemblage of vibes
moods and feels that create that kind of escapism that allows the partaker an
internal getaway. The lead single 'We Chill' already burning up national radio,
just oozes with hipness and is so chilled that goose bumps become a natural
side effect. Scoring a role in the Whitney Houston film 'Sparkle' hasn't hurt
Rountree's international profile, which helped lead to his headlining a show at
the Dubai International Jazz Festival this year. Having shared sides with the
likes of George Duke, Marcus Miller, Kem and Darren Rahn, it's time to step
forward to the front edge of the stage and take his rightful place alongside
the burgeoning crop of fresh new faces of the next generation of smooth jazz
stars. ~ amazon.com

When you
think of soul music, "attitude" isn't the first thing that always
comes to mind. That's not to say the genre couldn't use a little spunk
though—especially in this day and age. Thankfully, Los Angeles singer Raquel
Rodriguez and her band, The Big Guys, play soul how it was always meant to be
played.

Meeting her six-piece band "The Big Guys" while still
attending class, they collectively began pursuing their own "party"
in 2011, gigging tirelessly everywhere they could. A year later, the group hit
the studio to record what would eventually become Miss Me. Their 2013
full-length debut Miss Me boasts a collection of impassioned, invigorating, and
irresistible songs that are as fresh as they are fiery.

Miss Me
has that old school vibe which is a perfect sound for her amazing vocal
delivery. Rodriguez’s influences are a collection of both old and new school
soul - from Sarah Vaughan to Adele. You can hear it loud and clear on the first
single and title track, "Miss Me". Blending intricate instrumentation
and Raquel's infectious delivery, the song is something of a call-to-arms.
"It's an anthem," she admits. "It's a girl singing about a guy
who took advantage of her and didn't treat her right. Now, because she's
successful, he wants her back. She always warned him like, 'One day, you'll
miss me'. She was right."

Elsewhere
on the album, "Tell Me It's Fine" paints a poignant picture via her
vivid lyrics and the music's sultry swing. "It's about a relationship
where both people are really stubborn," she goes on. "Neither side
wants to end it so they stick it out, stay together, and just hope that it's
fine."

Brooklyn's
Barbez, sui generis luminaries of the New York music scene will be performing
Wednesday, September 18th at Le Poisson Rouge in Manhattan, NY in celebration
of Bella Ciao, their fifth full-length album. The album was recorded and mixed by the incomparable Martin Bisi (Swans,
Sonic Youth, Herbie Hancock, Ramones, John Zorn) at B.C. Studios in Brooklyn,
NY with band leader and guitarist Dan Kaufman producing. Special guests on the
album include Dawn McCarthy (Faun Fables, Will Oldham) on vocals, legendary
downtown experimental theatre director and poetess Fiona Templeton on voice,
and former Electro-Harmonix pedal inventor Dan Coates on electronics. Bella
Ciao was released by John Zorn's Tzadik label on August 27.

To open
the show, Barbez will perform the New York premiere of two movements of
acclaimed classical composer Yotam Haber's Roman Jewish inspired piece,
"Death Will Come and She Shall Have Your Eyes." This stirring work,
which will feature special guest avant-classical vocalist Dafna Naphtali,
includes field recordings of Roman cantors recorded by Leo Levi (the Alan Lomax
of Italy) in the 1940s and 50s and a guest appearance by the extraordinary new
music singer Dafna Naphtali. Haber, whose music has been described "as
deeply haunting" by New Yorker critic Alex Ross is a former recipient of
the Rome Prize and his works have been performed by Alarm Will Sound,
Either/Or, Flux Quartet and JACK Quartet among many others.

Haber's music is an
especially fitting compliment to this record release show for it was in 2009,
at a residency at the MacDowell Colony, that Haber first introduced Barbez
bandleader Dan Kaufman to Roman Jewish music. While there the pair collaborated
on Haber's score for a documentary about Rome's Jewish community and they have
shared a deep friendship and love for this singular music ever since.

Bella Ciao is inspired by both ancient Roman
Jewish melodies and the Italian Resistance during the Second World War. To help
tell that timeless story of defiance, the album incorporates poems by the great
Italian writer and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini and his renowned contemporary,
the poet Alfonso Gatto. The title track, the partisan anthem "Bella
Ciao," has been an international symbol of resistance for seventy years
and is re-imagined here in a stunning interpretation for a new generation. As
Gatto wrote many years after the war: "The Resistance ... is not an
exceptional moment of being; it is the opposite-a period that endures in time
and in history to form a common conscience."

As on
previous efforts Barbez weaves a haunting mosaic of avant-rock, old-world
cabaret, European folksong, and contemporary classical into a uniquely
beautiful and personal soundscape. An unconventional line-up, a kind of
rock-tinged chamber ensemble comprised of theremin, clarinet, violin,
vibraphone, electric guitar, bass and drums, forges a rich, indescribable-yet
beautiful-sonic tapestry that alternates between passages of quiet intensity
and passionate fury.

Since
its formation in Brooklyn in the late 1990s, Barbez has released five albums,
each of them engineered and mixed by Martin Bisi. The group's last record,
Force of Light, was an homage to the Romanian-Jewish Holocaust poet Paul Celan
and was hailed by allmusic.com as
"one of the most profound settings for poetry in music" of all time.

For the
past decade, Barbez has performed across the United States and Europe including
engagements at UCLA's Royce Hall in Los Angeles (sharing the bill with the MC5
and Sun Ra Arkestra), the Festival Territoria in Moscow, Russia, and the Museum
of Jewish Art and History in Paris, France. Over its history, Barbez has
collaborated with a diverse group of musicians including the cellist Julia Kent
of Antony and the Johnsons, the avant-vocalist Shelley Hirsch, and the singer and
guitarist Nils Frykdahl of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and Faun Fables.

Barbez
maintains a long-running collaboration with the experimental theatre director,
filmmaker, and playwright, John Jesurun, a MacArthur "genius" grant
winner, and has composed and performed scores for several of Jesurun's
theatrical works, which have been staged at the Berliner Festspiele, in Berlin,
Germany and the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art in New York. Jesurun, who
directed the groundbreaking "Last Goodbye" video for Jeff Buckley,
has directed two videos for the band. Barbez has also contributed music for
several dance works, including One and The Making of Americans, both
choreographed by the Bessie-award winner Juliette Mapp and presented,
respectively, by Danspace Project and Dance Theatre Workshop in New York.

Quartet
San Franciso, the acclaimed cross-genre string quartet received Grammy nominations for their 2006 Látigo, 2007 Whirled
Chamber Music, and 2009 QSF Plays Brubeck. Now they are preparing to release a
dazzling new CD, Pacific Premieres: New Works by California Composers, on
ViolinJazz Recordings.The disc, due out September 24, delivers a program featuring
two swinging new suites by noted jazz big band leader, composer, and arranger
Gordon Goodwin; a breathtaking three-movement string quartet by conductor,
arranger, and composer Vince Mendoza; and a gorgeous new work by legendary
Hollywood composer Patrick Williams. QSF's founder and first violinist Jeremy
Cohen closes the album with a brilliant piece of his own, "Guamba."

Well
versed in the violin's deep jazz roots, Cohen combines his love of jazz and
classical music in QSF. "As both a classically trained and improvising
jazz violinist," he says, "I began to write and arrange music that
had the sounds of my generation in it -- Santana, Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower
of Power, and so many more. Combine this modern musical era with the chamber
music tradition inside of a developing young musician, and you have the seeds
of QSF's DNA. The creation of Quartet San Francisco in 2001 was a clear move to
encourage, create, and perform works from this modern age of chamber
music."

Recorded
at Skywalker Sound in Nicasio, CA by the Grammy Award-winning engineer Leslie
Ann Jones, and mixed by Judy Kirschner, Pacific Premieres rivets from beginning
to end, offering an experience unlike anything else on the scene. Employing the
subtle dynamics, textural acuity, and technical prowess of a top-flight string
quartet, QSF maintains the improvisational imperative and emotional intensity
of a hard-bop combo. Whether you call it chamber jazz, third stream, or simply
new American music, the ensemble has honed a singular sound that has inspired
some of the era's most celebrated composers.

"The
ability to swing began to steal into the ranks of classical strings players a
few years ago," critic Doug Ramsey wrote in his review of QSF Plays
Brubeck. "Although they may not discuss it in the polite company of their
easily-shocked older colleagues, some of them are also improvising with
proficiency and joy. There is convincing evidence of both phenomena in the
QSF's CD of 10 pieces by Dave Brubeck, and Paul Desmond's 'Take Five.'"

Quartet
San Francisco Since QSF's last release, the band has undergone some personnel
shifts, resulting in a prodigious new lineup. Through the group's work in the
San Francisco Symphony's Adventures In Music program, the quartet shared some
170 performances before heading into the studio.

Joining
Cohen on violin is Matthew Szemela, a Mannes College graduate who has performed
widely in pop, jazz, chamber, and symphonic settings, including collaborations
with tap master Savion Glover, vocalist Cassandra Wilson, and rapper Jay-Z;
Santa Cruz-based Chad Kaltinger, an active freelancer around the Bay Area who
performs widely in an array of settings and is the principal violist for Opera
San Jose and the Santa Cruz Symphony; and cellist Kelley Maulbetsch, a member
of the Marin, Santa Rosa, Fresno, Monterey, and Modesto Symphonies (and
assistant principal cello of the Sarasota Opera Festival) who also freelances
extensively and performs in the bands of major San Francisco stage productions.

Quartet
San Francisco will premiere the music of Pacific Premieres at Yoshi's Oakland
on Thursday 9/26 at 8:00 pm.

Lisbon
based singer Guida de Palma (better known as Jazzinho) has recorded a duet with music legend Leon
Ware. The song, entitled A Seed In You
is a preview of her new album due out soon.
“I’m a mother, I’m a singer, I’m a teacher, and I’m a sinner. I play my
music in the sun. My music is a mix of Jazz, Soul, MPB and Funk, often referred
to as Sambalanço, a genre made popular in the 70s by artists like Banda Black
Rio, Tim Maia, Sandra de Sá, Jorge Ben, Copa 7 etc…” says de Palma. For the new
Jazzinho album that she is recording, she says that it’s due out sometime later
this year and that it will feature some hot new grooves and melodies. Her duet partner, Leon Ware, is a Motown
legend, having worked alongside Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, as well as with
Quincy Jones and many others. Ware is an
accomplished singer and songwriter.

OMAR AKRAM - DAYTIME DREAMER

Omar Akram was the first Afghan American to win a Grammy.
Akram’s music reflects his multicultural roots, incorporating piano, violin,
guitars, flute, Persian ney and world percussion. “The Grammy win brought me a
lot of attention, both from the Afghan media and the people of Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is a very divided country that is made up of many different
ethnicities and social groups. After being on the radio and television I heard from
everyone. The people there can hardly ever unite behind anything, and after I
won the Grammy award there was a shared sense of accomplishment. It was a kind
of unity I’ve never seen that I was very happy to be a part of.” —Omar Akram
// “After copping a Grammy for his
fourth record Echoes of Love, Omar is back with a full-on sonic assault to make
sure he does it again. Not exactly pop, he does turn it up a notch loading the
new age deck with pop and jazz smarts, keeping it buoyant, upbeat and winkingly
sassy.” —Chris Spector, Midwest Record

BOSSA: BOSSA NOVA, BALANCO, BOSSAMBA, SAMBABALANCA, SAMBOSSA

An
amazing little box set – filled with 10 rare bossa nova albums from the
Brazilian underground of the 60s – almost all of which we'd never heard before!
The records here were mostly issued on small labels at the time – the kind of
sets that never circulated widely outside of Brazil, and which often have
unusual and striking sounds that are quite different from mainstream bossa work
on labels like Verve or Elenco! There's a fair bit of jazz on most albums, and
the instrumentation varies nicely throughout – sometimes more sax up front,
sometimes more acoustic guitar, or offbeat horn arrangements, odd percussion,
and lots of other sweet touches! Each CD features two full albums, completely
with cover art and other details of the records – and the set features the
albums Balanco E Bossa Nova by Ritmistas Da Bossa, Sambalanco by Orquesta
Moderna De Samba, Isso E Bossa Nova Mesmo by Conjunto Sambossa, Saxsambando by
Os Saxsambistas Brasileiros, O Balanco E A Bossa by Conjunto Masterplay, Samba
Do Bom by Conjunto Samba De Balanco, Samba Pra Frente by Samba Trio, A Musica
Maravilhosa De Antonio Carlos Jobim by Bossa Brass, and the self-titled 1964
album by Os Azes De Bossa. ~,
Dusty Groove

Thursday, August 29, 2013

The endless Arizona sky will be filled with a galaxy
of stars day and night during the Arizona Jazz Festival slated for October
25-27, 2013 at the Arizona Grand Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. More
than 13,000 contemporary jazz and soul fans from across the nation are expected
to flock to the lavish desert resort to enjoy performances by a stellar slate
of Grammy-winners and chart-toppers along with a weekend of revelry.

The
Arizona Jazz Festival opens with an evening of seduction starting with the
tantalizing pairing of saxophonist Eric Darius and R&B vocalist-producer
Lyfe Jennings, who will set the mood for marquee-topper Maxwell, a
Grammy-winning soul balladeer. Stick around for the official after-party at the
resort.

Live
music begins Saturday when nattily-attired guitarist Nick Colionne and new jazz
swagger sax player J. White hit the stage followed by a trio set by
saxophonists Warren Hill and Tom Braxton with blues-based guitar slinger Jeff
Golub. Powerhouse tenors Gerald Albright, Richard Elliot and Euge Groove will
blow a fierce sax storm in the desert before ten-time Grammy winner Chaka Khan
belts out a song list filled with her massive crossover hits. The Queen of Neo
Soul Erykah Badu will reign over majestic grooves and Baduizms preceding a set
by “Uncle” Charlie Wilson, a 2013 BET lifetime achievement award winner,
crooning cuts from his Grammy-nominated R&B songbook. After the concert, a
number of the festival artists will head into the Arizona Grand Resort &
Spa for an all-star jam.

It’s
going to be a great-looking Sunday when saxophonists Jessy J and Michael
Lington link with keyboardist Jonathan Fritzen to open the final day followed
by a neo soul session from vocalist Eric Benet. Emerging saxmen Elan Trotman
and Dominic Amato will accompany R&B chanteuse Melanie Fiona for an outing.
Captivating multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson will inject a potent dose of
funk-jazz into the mix during a high-octane performance before fellow blue-eyed
soul man Robin Thicke blurs the lines during a set list certain to include the
#1 summer smash “Blurred Lines.” Closing the festival is edgy multiplatinum
R&B personality and reality television star Keyshia Cole.

“We
pulled out all the stops for the Arizona Jazz Festival, which is perhaps the
most spectacular lineup we have ever presented. While every festival that
BTWconcerts.com produces and promotes is special, this is our hometown
festival. We look forward to hosting guests from all over the U.S. that are
passionate about jazz and R&B. It’s going to be an unforgettable weekend of
live music and partying,” said Brad Laughlin of BTWconcerts.com, which also
produces the Las Vegas Jazz Festival and the San Diego Jazz Festival.

The
Arizona Jazz Festival offers reserved seating with ticket prices starting at
$240.00 for the entire weekend or $65.00 for a single-day seat. For the
enthusiast, tickets can be upgraded to include the Rock Star Experience that
provides VIP tent access, a complimentary meal and drinks, artist meet &
greets, Arizona Jazz Festival commemorative bag, t-shirt, poster and laminate,
and entry to the Friday night after-party and Saturday night all-star jam.

ETIENNE CHARLES - CREOLE SOULCreole Soul is an exploration of Charles musical roots featuring sounds from the
French, Spanish and English speaking Caribbean as well as North America,
Creole Soul highlights myriad inspirations from Haitian Creole chants and
blues to bebop and R&B while drawing on an array of rhythms including
Rocksteady, Reggae, Bel Air, Kongo and Calypso.Charles has been hailed
as a daring improviser by Jazz Times while Ben Ratliff of The New York Times
called him one of the more ambitious soloists and composers. A musician and
professor at Michigan State University, Charles studied under piano virtuoso
Marcus Roberts at Florida State University and Mark Gould, former principal
trumpeter of the Metropolitan Opera, at Juilliard. He was also mentored by
Jamaican reggae and jazz luminary Monty Alexander and the late multiple Grammy
Award-winning Trinidadian-American percussionist/songwriter Ralph MacDonald. ~ amazon

WES MONTGOMER - SO MUCH GUITAR!Wes Montgomery appeared as leader or co-leader on a dozen Riverside albums, in a
wide variety of formats ranging from organ trios to one with full string
orchestra. Some of the most rewarding simply placed him in a studio with a
superior rhythm section and let him deal with the mixture of ballads, blues, and
swingers. So Much Guitar!, his fourth album for the label, is a notable example
of this straightforward approach. Recorded in 1961, it features the flawless
support of Ron Carter (in one of his very first sessions) and Hank Jones, and
includes Montgomery s only entirely unaccompanied recording While We re Young.
An added bonus in this Original Jazz Classics Remasters edition are eight
selections recorded that same year during a Montgomery Brothers tour. ~ amazon

KARL JENKINS - ADIEMUS COLORESSince his self-penned debut album, Adiemus Songs of Sanctuary, Jenkins s albums
have sold over two million copies around the world. His distinct signature sound
has reached mainstream audiences around the globe through its use in scores of
TV and cinema commercials in over 20 different countries. Levi Strauss, Delta
Airlines, Cheltenham and Gloucester, Lexus, Japanese Airlines, Lux Soap, Hewlett
Packard, De Beers, Johnnie Walker, Renault, BMW, Audi and Chanel No. 5 are just
some of the brands to use his music to help sell their products and brand
messages. Adiemus Colores is his first work of its kind for ten years,
and employs the rhythms, sounds, colors and textures of Latin American music to
create a distinctly unique and exotic sound-world expect the unexpected! Scored for choir (The Adiemus Singers), instrumental forces
and a super-tight rhythm section, as well as solo guitar, trumpet and voice this
world premiere recording features Fado sensation Cuca Roseta, star guitarist
Milos, new trumpeter on the block Pacho Flores and the worlds favorite tenor,
Rolando Villazon. ~ amazon

RAHEEM DEVAUGHN - A PLACE CALLED LOVELAND4th studio release from the Grammy nominated R&B crooner.It's often said
that love makes the world go 'round and three-time Grammy-nominated
singer/songwriter Raheem DeVaughn knows that to be the truth. With the release
of his fourth studio album, A Place Called Loveland Raheem embraces the global
theme while bringing his heart and soul into all tracks of his latest work of
aural art. With songwriting collaborations with Ne-Yo and production via talents
like Mario Winans,Carvin & Ivan, and Ne-Yo, Raheem proves why he is the Love
King. Reflecting on this new phase of his career, RAHEEM recognizes that his
process of creating music is definitely getting more defined as I grow as an
artist and songwriter. A Place Called Loveland reflects the growth
of Raheem DeVaughn vocally, mentally, spiritually and professionally. His quest
for love is woven throughout each song, which he has crafted over the last year
and states: This album represents a voyage, an eclectic ride where melody meets
passion, a dimension of desire and orgasmic rescue in pleasure paradise. I am
sure you will agree. ~ amazon

JIMMY WEBB - STILL WITHIN THE SOUND OF MY VOICEStill Within The Sound Of My Own Voice again unites Jimmy Webb with some of
todays biggest selling and enduring artists for once in a lifetime performances,
including the iconic MacArthur Park. In celebration of its 45th Anniversary,
Jimmy reached out to Brian Wilson for his inspirational vocal harmonies which
take this American Classic soaring to new heights. The Album is full of
inspirational vocal performances from the breathless seduction of Carly Simon on
Easy For Yoy To Say to the joyful contemporary styling of Keith Urban on Where's
The Playground, Susie. In celebration of Jimmy Webb's Career as a singer,
songwriter and performer it is easy to see why so many Artists have joined
together for this amazing collection of duets from the Jimmy Webb Great American
Songbook. Besides the Artists already mentioned other Special Guests featured
include Lyle Lovett, David Crosby & Graham Nash, Marc Cohn, Amy Grant, Joe
Cocker, Kris Kristofferson, Art Garfunkel and Rumer. ~ amazon

WAYMAN TISDALE - THE ABSOLUTE GREATEST HITS2013 compilation of the finest recordings from the late Smooth Jazz bassist
Wayman Tisdale, featuring George Duke and Toby Keith. Wayman Tisdale was an
All-American at The University of Oklahoma, gold-medal winner in the 1984
Olympic games and NBA star for the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix
Suns. A self-taught musician, Tisdale began playing the bass guitar during his
father's Sunday services. As his basketball career was ending, he turned his
focus to his self-described "first love" with the release of his debut jazz
album 'Power Forward', which climbed to number four on the Billboard charts. In
his short musical career he released nine eclectic jazz albums - four of which
hit #1 on the US jazz charts. ~ amazon

World-class jazz
musicians will once again descend on downtown Detroit Labor Day weekend – Aug.
30 through Sept. 2 – for the 34th annual Detroit Jazz Festival, presented by
the Chrysler brand.

The world's largest
free jazz festival kicks off Friday, Aug. 30 providing music lovers with
one-of-a-kind performances from a variety of artists and ensembles throughout
the weekend. This year's headliners include David Murray Big Band with Macy
Gray, the Ahmad Jamal Quartet, Joshua Redman, Charles Lloyd, McCoy Tyner, John
Scofield Uberjam Band, the Alan Broadbent Trio and 2013 Artist in Residence
Danilo Perez.

"Each year we
work harder than the last to make the Detroit Jazz Festival an experience that
adds to the cultural fabric of this region and this music. Our lineup features
incredible artists, free of charge, who will once again make this a can't-miss
event," said Gretchen Valade, chair of the Detroit Jazz Festival
Foundation. "The rich culture of jazz history in Detroit lives on through
the Festival this Labor Day weekend and all year with the many activities we do
to keep this spirit alive. This is really about what Detroit and this music
have to offer the world."

More than 100
performances will take place on four stages located throughout Hart Plaza and
Campus Martius. Artist in Residence and Grammy-winning pianist, Danilo Perez,
and the Panama 500 Band will open the Festival on Friday at 7:15 p.m. followed
by the David Murray Big Band featuring Macy Gray at 8:45 p.m., both on the JP
Morgan Chase Main Stage. Saturday through Monday the music will start as early
as noon and end at approximately 10:45 p.m. For those wanting more, there will
be fireworks Saturday and Sunday night on the Detroit River after the last
performance and late night jam sessions from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the Volt Bar
& Lounge in the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, the Festival's
official hotel.

One unique element
to this year's Festival is the amazing tributes that will take place throughout
the weekend including a Teddy Harris, Jr. Tribute by the New Breed Be Bop
Society; Tribute to Stan Kenton featuring The Four Freshmen and the Toledo Jazz
Orchestra; Three Baris Tribute to Pepper Adams, featuring Gary Smulyan, Howard
Johnson and Frank Basile; Tribute to Brad Felt featuring Steve Wood, Cary
Schunk, Pat Prouty, Bill Higgins and Terry Kimura; Tribute to Don Byas
featuring James Carter; and the four-performance Detroit Jazz Festival Tribute
to the late Dave Brubeck featuring the Brubeck Brothers.

"Year after
year we are honored to present this incredible opportunity to see some of jazz
music's best artists perform live in the heart of Detroit," said Chris
Collins, artistic director for the Detroit Jazz Festival. "Our goal this
year was to select an eclectic lineup that embodies all genres of jazz music
and spanning across different generations. We want to highlight the best that
jazz has to offer, and I believe this year's lineup definitely accomplishes
that."

In addition to the
performances throughout the weekend, attendees will have the opportunity to see
artists up-close and unplugged in the Chrysler Jazz Talk Tent, which offers a
deeper dive into the artists and history with interviews, panel discussions,
presentations and performances. One key Talk Tent segment not to miss is the
DownBeat blindfold test, Sunday, Sept. 1 at 3:45 p.m., where Geri Allen will
test her jazz music recognition skills. For more information on the Chrysler
Jazz Talk Tent, hosted by jazz historians Jim Gallert and Lars Bjorn, visit
http://www.detroitmusichistory.com/upcoming.html.

The weekend also
provides fans of local musicians the opportunity to see performances from
accomplished Detroit-native artists, such as Geri Allen and the 2013 Homecoming
Band, the Sean Dobbins Organ Trio, the Scott Gwinell Ensemble and numerous
other musicians featured in the Marcus Belgrave "Trumpet Call."

The Detroit Jazz
Festival gives back to the region not only by featuring Detroit- and
Michigan-based artists during the Festival weekend, but also through year-round
initiatives that work to promote the history and development of jazz music in
Detroit and help maintain the city's legacy as a music hub. For example, as
part of its mission to educate students about the importance of music, the
Festival puts on a variety of concerts, workshops and competitions to foster
young talent from the region. For the seventh year in a row, the Wayne State
University Department of Music and the Detroit Jazz Festival teamed up to bring
promising high school musicians the J.C. Heard Jazz Week@Wayne program, a
week-long, audition-based jazz workshop that provides students with an
intensive and rewarding jazz education. Eight exceptional students who stood
out during the program earned a spot in the J.C. Heard All-Star Youth Ensemble,
which will be performing at the Festival on Monday at 12:15 p.m on the Carhartt
Amphitheater Stage.

In addition to
performances by the J.C. Heard All-Star Youth Ensemble and several other high
school jazz ensembles, the Michigan State University Big Band I, the University
of Michigan Jazz Ensemble with special guest Lee Konitz and ensembles from
Central Michigan, Oakland and Wayne State Universities also will be performing
over the weekend.

The Festival also
is extending its support for national artists for the second year in a row by
staging national performance and arranging competitions. This year the Festival
welcomed submissions from up-and-coming trumpet artists and composers from all
around of the country. Upon judging from a panel of prominent jazz artists and
educators, including Marcus Belgrave and Chris Collins, Theo Croker from New
York City won the trumpet competition and Scott Nimmer, also from New York
City, won the arranging competition. Both winners received a cash prize and
Croker will perform at the Festival.

Every year people
from all over the world travel to Detroit on Labor Day weekend to see some of
the industry's top musicians perform at this premier music event. As the world's
largest free jazz festival, it brings in tens of millions of dollars to the
city center annually, helping to boost the local economy. With help from the
DTE Energy Foundation, the Festival also is making a positive impact by
continuing its efforts to promote a green atmosphere through recycling,
reducing paper waste and more to minimize its carbon footprint.

About the Detroit
Jazz Festival

The Detroit Jazz
Festival is an independent, non-profit organization that presents jazz and
educational workshops throughout the year. Recently voted number two in North
America in a JazzTimes reader's poll, the Detroit Jazz Festival is the largest
free jazz festival in the world and a major tourist attraction for the City of
Detroit, with 23 percent of its audience coming from out of state.

Tedeschi
Trucks Band's new album, Made Up Mind - released by Sony Masterworks on August
20th - has debuted at #11 on Billboard's Top 200 Album chart, #1 on the Blues
chart, #2 on the Rock chart, #2 on the FMQB AAA non-comm chart, #5 on the BDS
AAA Indicator chart, #4 on the Americana chart and #1 on the Roots Music Blues
Chart with 26,466 units sold - Tedeschi Trucks Band's highest unit debut to
date.

Made Up
Mind is nothing less than a quantum leap forward for TTB. If Revelator and
Everybody's Talkin' were all about finding their way, this new effort is where
they emerge as a fully formed band for the ages.

Throughout
the course of the album it becomes increasingly apparent that Susan Tedeschi
has evolved into one of the most dauntingly commanding vocalists in
contemporary music, her serious lung power exploding on standout tracks such as
the uber-funky "Misunderstood" and just as convincingly digging into
the core of poignant, tender acoustic ballads like "Calling Out to
You" and "Idle Wind".

Derek
Trucks has indisputably matured into one of the monster guitarists of our time,
tearing up barnburners like the title track "Made Up Mind" with his
masterful slide and lead licks while showcasing his easier, more subtle touch
on the bluesy "Do I Look Worried".

Buenos
Aires based digital folklore trio Tremor return to the forefront of modern
South American music with a brand new album on Nickodemus’ Brooklyn based
Wonderwheel Recordings that fuses traditional sounds with contemporary
electronic elements. After playing some of the most important festivals and
venues worldwide including Roskilde Festival in Denmark, Fusion Festival in
Germany, and an official showcases at SXSW and Womex, Argentina's Tremor
advances the digital folk genre with their upcoming release Proa. Tremor uses
South American folklore traditions and regional instruments to bridge
unexpected genres such as Argentine chacarera and glitch electronica. Digging
deeper into their folkloric roots and adding a new element of vocals for the
first time, Proa is Tremor evolved: the most organic and visceral release of
the trio to date. Lead by Leonardo Martinelli (composer and producer), the
power trio features Camillo Carbajal (bombo leguero) and Gerardo Farez
(synthesizers, melodica and bombo leguero).

RAS & THE AFRIKAN SPACE PROGRAM - BACK ON THE PLANET

Ras G
may be back on the planet, but the sound here is still very much in keeping
with the excellent mode on his Ghetto Sci Fi set – a really weird and wonderful
blend of cosmic influences from the heyday of spiritual jazz, including lots of
Sun Ra-inspired touches, mixed with some very unusual beats and electronics!
There's a sense of analogue electricity that crackles through the set, and
really sets an edge right from the start – potent and powerful right at the
start, then laying back a bit for awhile as things get somewhat warmer – but
still stepping in at all the right points to shock the system! The whole thing
is really a great move forward in the legacy of sci-fi sounds from the jazz and
funk world – a definite heady part of the Sun Ra Legacy too. Titles include
"Been Cosmic", "Find Ya Self", "Asteroid Storm",
"Back On The Planet", "All Is Well", "Cosmic Lounge
Kisses", "One 4 Kutman", "Culture Riddim", and
"Natural Melanin Being". ~
Dusty Groove

BOSQ Y ORQUESTA DE MADERA - BOSQ OF WHISKEY BARONS

A really
wonderful set of grooves – much richer, jazzier, and more soulful than we would
have expected – and a great full length introduction to the work of Bosq!
Bosq's a name that's been brimming around on singles recently – but on this
full album, he really opens up with a wonderfully deep groove – one that's
inspired by older styles of jazz, Latin, Brazilian, and even Afro Funk modes –
but put together in ways that often mix organic and live instrumentation with
some studio production too – yet always at a level that still retains all the
warmth of the elements at the core! These are some of the best sounds we've
heard from Ubiquity in awhile, and the record's a real return to the mix of
classic and contemporary that first made us fall in love with the label. The
set features guest work from Kon, Tita Lima, Kaleta, and others – and titles
include "More Heavy", "Up & Down (NYC 91 mix)",
"Tear It Out", "Getting There", "Movin On",
"Pura Candela", "Paciencia De Jo", "Never Feel
Cold", and "Get Involved".
~ Dusty Groove

Santa
Claus has a special treat to stuff in the stockings of all the good Jonathan
Butler fans this Christmas: the first Christmas album by the two-time
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter-guitarist. Butler produced and arranged
“Merry Christmas To You,” which will be released October 1 by Artistry Music.
Two singles will be shipped to multiple radio formats this holiday season: an
instrumental take on “Sleigh Ride” decorated with hallmarks from the South
African native’s homeland, and the album’s title track, which is a retro-flavored
R&B/adult contemporary ballad penned by Butler.

Butler
recorded eight Christmas chestnuts for the collection and penned a pair of new
songs, including “Happy Holidays,” an ardent urban groove ornamented with riffs
of cool jazz guitar. High-profile hornmen Dave Koz, Rick Braun and Paul
“Shilts” Weimer contribute to the festivities on a couple of tracks as does
Butler’s daughter, vocalist Jodie Butler, and bassist Dan Lutz, who plays
upright on a tune, but the heart of the intimate recording is Butler solo
pouring his impassioned voice and acoustic guitar into the seasonal songs. His
arresting performances and sparse production captivates, fostering an air of
freshness to the evergreen material.

“These
songs are beautiful on their own so I felt they didn't need a lot of
instrumentation. Plus I wanted my fans to have a personal Christmas message
from me. That is why the CD has very little production and plenty of voice and
guitar. It’s a very proud moment for me to finally have a Christmas record,
which has been a long time coming. I hope fans feel blessed and uplifted when
they play it at home or in their car or wherever they may be. I truly thank God
for giving me the strength and the opportunity to make this album,” said
Butler, who lives in California’s San Fernando Valley with his family.

The
“Merry Christmas To You” album opens with an energizing version of the Donny
Hathaway soul classic “This Christmas.” Butler applies South African
vocalization, chanting and rhythmic percussion to “Little Drummer Boy.” “I’ll
Be Home For Christmas,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “The First
Noel,” “O Holy Night” and the lesser known “Sweet Little Jesus Boy” are
presented starkly featuring show-stopping performances by the devoutly inspired
man with his guitar.

Beginning
November 30, Butler will venture out on a three-week U.S. concert swing
performing on the Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour during which he will
share the stage with the charismatic sax star as well as keyboardist Keiko
Matsui and vocalist Oleta Adams.

A former
child star, Butler was the first black artist played on radio stations in South
Africa. The hint of grit in his expressive voice reflects the pain he endured
growing up under Apartheid, the youngest of 17 children. A true artist who
refuses to segregate his music, Butler’s recordings consist of vocal and
instrumental hits and enduring fan favorites spanning R&B, contemporary
jazz, gospel, adult contemporary, pop and world beat stylings. The natural-born
performer’s radiant spirit shines brightly through his beaming smile and
twinkling eyes.

Since
flipping formats on Monday (8/27), the station has garnered alot of negative
feedback with avid listeners demanding that the station revert back to the
music that they admired in the first place.
As a matter of fact listeners have voiced their opinions on WCLK's
Facebook page and have even started an online petition asking that the station
switch back.

So why
the sudden change you may ask? In an
effort to boost its audience and garner more membership dollars, the
non-commercial radio station attached to Clark Atlanta University has started
pre-programming its playlist and narrowed it down from about 900 songs to 400
songs Monday-Friday, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution radio reporter
Rodney Ho, who spoke to WCLK's general manager of the last 20 years, Wendy
Williams.

In
addition to severely cutting back on the number of songs being played, the radio
DJ's are no longer allowed to program their own music. A major focus is WCLK DJ and on-air
personality Jamal Ahmad, who's S.O.U.L. of Jazz show has been a longtime
listener favorite, recognized locally and internationally for its
groundbreaking programming. "Jamal Ahmad's show is one of the last
bastion's on noncommercial music in the city of Atlanta," reads the first
line of the petition, started by Creative Loafing contributor and publisher of
Slo Momagazine, Carlton Hargro.

Personally
speaking, these are my thoughts...

I've
always loved the sound of smooth jazz; however, the format has gotten tired
over the last few years and I think that a hybrid playlist is more realistic as
a formula for success. The format needs to be less sugary and less background
music-ish - and please no more of the tired same old songs being played over
and over again.

The
format needs to be revitalized - more soul, more advant gardish, more
diversion. Ever here of Jazz FM in the UK? Check them out for ideas.

WCLK
walks a fine by making the switch to a tired format and needs to be careful
that they don't fallback into the same old tired niche. I suggest that they add the diversity to
their playlist; open it up to much more than 400 songs; become edgier with
their sound; and let Jamal Ahmad select his playlist. Think about it - if his show has garnered
awards and recognition then why not expand on that sound in the first place?

I look
forward to any thoughts or comments - so please pass them on...

‘Between
Shadows’ is the debut album by award-winning trumpeter and composer Reuben
Fowler. This is an album of huge ambition, delivered impeccably by an artist
with a vision to match. Here is a young musician with plenty to say as both a
player and a composer. He’s technically strong; equipped with a beautiful,
round trumpet tone. As a composer he’s highly developed in orchestration with a
vast understanding of harmony and instrumentation. However what‘s most
impressive is his boldness and maturity in bringing together an ensemble of
world-class musicians to create an album of huge breadth and poise. Featuring
some of the most renowned and revered musicians in British jazz - including
Stan Sulzmann, Jim Hart and Guy Barker (who conducts) - as well as US trumpet
star Tom Harrell, Fowler's ensemble echoes the brilliance and invention evident
in some of the great British big band leaders.

ALEXI TUOMARILA TRIO - SEVEN HILLS

Seven
Hills is the new trio album from Finnish born Alexi Tuomarila, an artist on the
verge of becoming one of the most important young pianists & composers on
the European Jazz scene. Following numerous first prize awards at various
international jazz competitions throughout 2003, he signed to Warner Jazz
France releasing two albums that brought worldwide attention and critical
acclaim from the international press, fans and musicians including fellow
pianist Brad Mehldau, who is quoted as saying, "I'm definitely excited
about the future of this piano player".

KENNY WHEELER / NORMA WINSTONE / LONDON VOCAL PROJECT - MIRRORS

Kenny
Wheeler and Norma Winstone have been at the forefront of European Jazz scene
collectively for the last 5 decades gaining the admiration and reverence from
all generations of musicians and fans. With the release of ‘Mirrors’, a suite
of music composed by Kenny Wheeler set to poems by Stevie Smith, Lewis Carroll
and W.B. Yeats, they are joined by the London Vocal Project, a 24 piece choir
directed by the inimitable Pete Churchill. Featuring some of the renowned and
celebrated musicians in British Jazz including pianist Nikki Iles, saxophonist
Mark Lockheart, bassist Steve Watts and drummer James Maddren, Mirrors is vast
in conception and world class in its execution.

Saxophonist-composer-producer-educator
Bobby Watson is proud to release, Check Cashing Day, the second self-produced
recording on Watson's label, Lafiya Music. The project, which honors the March
on Washington's 50th anniversary and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic
"I Have A Dream" speech, is now available digitally (August 28, 2013)
and will be released physically on November 12, 2013.

As
Watson reflects, Check Cashing Day serves as "a commentary on where we've
been, where we are, and where we need to go as a people, as a country, and as a
global community." Instead of focusing on the iconic "I Have A
Dream" aspect of Dr. King's speech, Watson chose to concentrate on another
very significant part: the reason why over 300,000 people, black and white,
gathered in Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963. Dr. King spoke of coming to
Washington to cash a 100 year old check, a moral check that the founding
fathers wrote into the Declaration of Independence, but to this day, the check
keeps coming back marked 'insufficient funds.' "This, being the year of my
60th birthday, I sadly understand that Dr. King's dream has not been fully
realized and the struggle continues," says Watson.

Introducing
poet and spoken word artist Glenn North from Kansas City, MO, Check Cashing Day
is a concept recording with 15 tracks portrayed in the vein of musical theatre.
"I asked Glenn to put some poetry, from his perspective, to several of my
compositions, as well as one written by vocalist Pamela Baskin-Watson and two
by bassist Curtis Lundy," comments Watson. "It was my desire with
this project to produce poetry that would in some ways cleanse the soul,"
notes North. In addition, Watson's release features trumpeter Hermon Mehari,
pianist Richard Johnson, drummer Eric Kennedy, flutist Horace Washington, and
trombonist Karita Carter.

With
Watson's commentary on the ongoing struggle of todays racial inequalities
spotlighted on compositions such as the title track "Check Cashing Day
(For Ms. Trudy)" and "MLK on Jazz (Love Transforms)," he offers
a recording that provokes positive conversation and continued movement towards
Dr. King's 'dream,' so that the 'dream' becomes a reality in today's world.
"The result is something more powerful and thought provoking than I could
have imagined," concludes Watson.

The
first "William D. and Mary Grant/Missouri, Distinguished Professor in Jazz
Studies at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance," saxophonist, composer,
producer and educator, Bobby Watson grew up in Kansas City, Kansas and trained
formally at the University of Miami studying with Dr. Clifton Williams,
receiving a B.M. in Music Theory and Composition in 1975. After graduating, he
proceeded to earn his "doctorate" - on the bandstand - as musical
director of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers from 1977-1981. In addition to his
work as leader of the Grammy® Award-nominated quintet Horizon, Watson also led
a group known as the High Court of Swing (a tribute to the music of Johnny
Hodges), the Grammy® Award-nominated Tailor-Made Big Band, and is a founding
member of the highly acclaimed 29th Street Saxophone Quartet. Watson also wrote
original music for the sound track of Robert DeNiro's directorial debut "A
Bronx Tale."

Since
2000 he has served as director of Jazz studies at UMKC Conservatory of Music
and Dance, and is also, currently Artistic Director for the Thelonious Monk
Institute's "Jazz in America" Informance program, annually presenting
dozens of informational concerts and jazz workshops around the nation. In 2010
Bobby released his self produced CD, "The Gates BBQ Suite" which went
to #4 on the National Jazz airplay charts. In 2011, Bobby was inducted into the
Kansas Music Hall of Fame and in 2013 he received the "Benny Golson Jazz
Masters" award from Howard University. To date; Bobby has made 37
recordings as a leader and he appears on over 100 other recordings.

STEFANO BOLLANI / HAMILTON DE HOLANDA - O QUE SERABeautiful sounds from the duo of Stefano Bollani on piano and Hamilton De
Holanda on bandolim – a set that’s heavy on styles borrowed from the Brazilian
tradition, but which also features some other elements as well – all wrapped up
in a blend that’s warmly lyrical one moment, then quite bold and striking the
next! Bollani's piano really seems to pull a lot of fresh energy out of
Hamilton's instrument – pushing it to some darker corners than we've heard
before, in ways that really work perfectly not just with Stefano's rich notes on
the piano, but also with the spacious ECM approach to production. The set was
recorded live – and titles include "Beatriz", "O Que Sera", "Rosa", "Canto De
Ossanha", "Oblivion", "Apanhei Te Cavaquinho", and "Guarda Che Luna"~ Dusty Groove

RAY MANTILLA - THE CONNECTIONA cracker of a set from Ray Mantilla – served up in that special approach to
Latin jazz that's made Mantilla such a great leader for the past few decades!
Ray's percussion is firmly at the helm of the set, but the group's definitely a
jazz one through and through – graced with excellent work from Willie Williams
on tenor and soprano sax, flute and baritone sax from Enrique Fernandez, and
bold trumpet lines from Guido Gonzalez on a few tracks too! And while the solos
are really rich and strong, the rhythms are definitely the core that drives the
whole set strongly – not just Mantilla's percussion, but also bold, blocky piano
lines from Edy Martinez, rolling acoustic bass from Chucho Martinez, and some
drums from Bill Elder. Both Edy Martinez and Williams helped out with
arrangements – and titles include "Andean Fantasy", "Psalm 107", "Sonando Puerto
Rico", "Homanaje A San Rafael", "The Simple Life", and "New Moon". ~ Dusty Groove

SHAPES: CIRCLES COMPILED BY ROBERT LUIS (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Great grooves at a great price – an excellent array of
contemporary funk and underground tracks from the all-great Tru Thoughts label –
including bits by some of the label's biggest names, and a few up-and-comers as
well! These Shapes collections are always wonderful – and can always be trusted
to serve up the best little gems from the label – no surprise, consider than
some of them, like this one, are compiled by one of the label owners himself.
2CD set features a massive 30 tracks in all – and titles include "Let Me Be" by
Harleighblu, "Wasted Time (Ross PTH mix)" by Belleruche, "Like You Never" by Ty,
"Jump Move Rock" by Wrongtom Meets Demas J, "Alients Enter (Hint rmx)" by Hint,
"Get Started (Full Crate mix)" by Mark De Clive-Lowe with Omar & Sheila E,
"Mind Open" by Tieknots, "Empty Heart" by Yanna Valdevit & Lay Far, "Where
Does The Time Go (Si-Tiew take it back mix)" by The Bamboos with Aloe Blacc,
"Maracatu" by Drumagick, "Raving Bully" by Sleeping Giantz, and "Crash &
Burn (Cone rmx)" by Hint. ~ Dusty Groove